Bumper jack



Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a jack and while the jaclr may have variousapplications, it particularly is designed as a bumper jack for anautomobile. It has heretofore been the custom to use jacks 5 which wereplaced under the axle or spring to elevate the automobile in order tochange a tire. It is a difficult and voften irksome task to locate sucha jack as it must be placed a considerable distance under the car. Thepresent tendency is to use a bumper jack or vone which engages the,bumper or some part thereof in order to lift the car yto changea tire.The bumpers are at the `ends .of the car and easily accessible and it isnot ,necessary for the operator to get down on the 1'ground andv place ajack beneath the car. It is an object of this invention, therefore, toprovide a very simple', easily placed and easily and ,quickly operatedjack for lifting a car by engaging the bumper or bumper support.

It is a further object of the invention to provide 'a bumper jack havinga means for 'engaging a `,bumper part, a flexible means secured to said,means and a rotatable means for lifting said ilexible means and thusraising the bumper and car.

It is a further object of the invention to pro- Vide Such a jack as setforth in the preceding paragraph in which the rotatable means is oper-`ated by a lever-actuated means.

`It is still another object of the invention to provide ,a jack havingabase and a frame readily removable therefrom, which frame may comprisespaced members which can be placed at either vvside of a Vbumper partand engage the base mem- `ber.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the jack, a portion being brokenaway and other portions shown in vertical section; j

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the jack as applied to a bumpersupport of an automobile;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the jack;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, a portion being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of a modified form .of the device.

Referring to the drawing, a jack is shown comprising a base member I0.While this base memlbs? might take various forms., in the`@mbo.dfnflerit posed in the tops of members II.

of the invention illustrated it is shown as com- I prising a plate ofrectangular form in plan, from which plate upstands a pair ofcylindrical pins Illa suitably secured to the plate at their lower ends,as by the riveting shown. A frame is shown comprising spaced verticalmembers II. Members I I are shown as tubular and open at their lowerends so that they can be placed over the pins Ia and `be supported onthe base Ill. Members I I extend a considerable distance above base I0and at their upper ends are shown as 4connected by a U-shapedcylindrical bar I2 having its sides dis- A supporting member I3 isprovided shown as in the form of a headed and nutted bolt extendingthrough and between members II. Between members I I member I3 forms asupport or axle for a reel IIIl is in the form of a ratchet wheel I4b. Aflexible cable I is provi-ded, one end of which is secured in reel I4adjacent ratchet wheel I4b and the other end of cable I5 has securedthereto a hook member I6. Hook member I6'is shown as having an aperturethrough which member I5 passes, the latter being formed into a loop I5a,which loop is maintained by binding wires I'I extending around andclamping thesides thereof. Member I3 has pivoted thereon at' one side ofratchet wheel IIIb and between the same and the adjacent member I I alever I8. Lever I8 has a somewhat elongated slot |801.l adjacent its'endthrough which member I3 passes, said lever being of considerable lengthand extending some distance to one side of member I3, the same beingshown as having its outer end somewhat curved downwardly to form ahandle. 'Lever I8 has a pin I9 secured therein and projecting at oneside thereof adapted to lengage in the spaces between the teeth ofratchet wheel I4b. A pawl member 20 is pivoted on the pivot 2I extendinginto one member I I,said pawl member extending across and betweenmembers I'I in position to seat in one of the spaces between the teeth`of ratchet wheel I4b. Pawl 20 is shown as having its free end formed insemi-circular shape and extending about one member II. y

In operation, the base member I0 is placed on the ground beneath thebumper 24 or the bumpersupporting bracket 25 which secures the bumper tothe frame 26 of the car. When member I0 is thus placed in position, theframe comprising members I I is placed in position from above support25, the members II extending at each 4side of or straddling one side ofmember 25. The

lower ends of members il are placed over or telescoped on the pins lilaand the frame is then supported on base I0. The hook it is now hookedunder the lower side of member 25. The operator now oscillates lever i3and on the dovvn stroke engages pin i9 with one of the teeth of ratchetwheel lllb. It will be seen that lever I8 can be drawn outwardly a shortdistance due to slot ia so that pin i9 can be disengaged from wheel iLiband lever i8 again lifted to engage said pin with the next adjacenttooth. Wheel ilb is thus intermittently rotated. Pawl 2S is lifted aseach tooth of wheel iib moves thereunder and drops by gravity into thenext space. Said pawl therefore prevents reverse movement of wheel iflb.As wheel illb is rotated reel M is rotated and member i5 is wound up onsaid reel, thus lifting hook i6, bracket 25, bumper 2li and the car bodyor frame 28. There is quite a distance of lifting capacity and the wheelof the automobile is soon lifted oi of the ground so that a tire can bechanged. The lever i8 is easily operated and the car is quickly lifted.When it is desired to lower the car it can be let down in gradual stagesby pressing down on lever i8 suiciently to release the tension on pawl2li, then lifting said pawl by hand and holding lever it while the caris allowed to descend the distance of one or two teeth on wheel iiib.This operation can be repeated until the wheel is again in contact withthe ground. If desired, the car can be quickly lowered by throwing leveri3 upwardly to engage pawl 2i) and knock it from engagement with wheelMb. The weight of the car then quickly pulls down on cable l5, rotatingreel Hi so that the car drops at once to the ground.

In Fig. 6 a modified form of the device is shown having a base member3l] comprising a plate of rectangular form and having upstandingcentrally therefrom a single pin 38a. A member 3i in the form of a tubeopen at its lower end is provided and this tube fits over pin 30a.Member Si has secured to its upper end a frame member 32 illustrated asformed from a flat bar bent into substantially rectangular form withlower side portions 32a. extending along each side of member 3i andsecured thereto by the rivets 33. A headed and nutted bolt 3ft extendsthrough and between the sides of member 32 and has journaled thereon areel 35 similar in all respects to reel ill already described and havinga ratchet wheel 35a similar to wheel Mib at one side thereof. A lever 36similar to lever I8 is pivotally mounted on. member 36B and has a pin 3lprojecting from one side in position to engage ratchet wheel 35d. A4small bracket 38 is secured at the upper inner side of member 32 byrivets 39 and a pawl di) is -pivoted to bracket 38 to swing verticallyabout its pivot 4|, the free end of pawl fill being bent to extend alongone side of frame 32. A exible cable d2 preferably made of wire has oneend secured to reel 35 and at its other end has secured thereto a hookmember i3 similar to member it, said hook being secured in a loop 2dformed on the end of member 42.

The operation of the form shown in Fig. 6 is similar to that alreadydescribed for the device shown in Figs. l to 5. Base Sil is placed inproper position beneath the bumper or a supporting part thereof andmember 3i is then placed downward over pin Sila. Hook t3 is then engagedwith the lower side oi the bumper or bumpersupport and lever 35 isoperated as already described in connection with lever i8 to rotate reel35, wind up cable ft2 and lift hook i3 to lift the bumper and car. Thecar can be lowered as already described either by gradual steps or byreleasing pawl 40 and allowing the car to drop.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a verysimple and efficient form oi bumper jack. The jack comprises very fewparts and can be made of a size which is easily carried under the rearseat ,of the car or in the trunk now often provided. The jack is veryeasily and quickly placed in position for operation and the operation isalso easy and quite rapid. The speed of operation is one of theimportant features of applicants jack. The jack will lift the heaviestcars and the operating lever is operated with remarkable ease. The partsof the jack can be made quite rugged so that the jack will be verydurable and yet will not have xcessive weight. The device has been amplydemonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful andeiiicient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, ar rangement and proportions of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and dened inthe appended claims.

Vihat is claimed isz- 1. A bumper jack for an automobile having incombination, a plate-like base member adapted to be disposedhorizontally on a supporting surface, a frame comprising a pair ofspaced parallel adjacent rod-like frame members of. small horizontalcross-section extending vertically upward from said base member, theupper part of said frame being separable vertically from and telescopingover the lower part, a reel mounted between the upper ends of said framemembers having its axis substantially in the plane passing centrallythrough said members, a flexible cable secured at one end to said reeland adapted to be wound thereon, a hook secured to the other end of saidcable, said hook and the free end of said cable depending between saidframe members and closely adjacent the plane thereof, said hook beingadapted to engage a bumper part of. an automobil-e, a ratchet wheelsecured to said reel, a lever journaled about the axis of'said reel, apawl on said lever for engaging said wheel and rotating the same uponoscillation of said lever and means for preventing reverse rotation ofsaid reel whereby said base member may be placed beneath said bumper,the upper part of said frame moved downwardly straddling said bumperpart and engaged with said lower part, said hook engaged with saidbumper part andv the latter elevated by oscillation of said lever.

2. A bumper jack comprising a base member adapted to be disposedhorizontally on a supporting surface, a pair of members upstanding fromsaid base, a pair of standards of. small crosssectional area telescopingover said members and extending upwardly in spaced parallel relation, areel journaled in said members and disposed therebetween adjacent thetop thereof having its axis substantially in the plane passing throughthe central axes of said members, a ratchet wheel secured to said reel,a lever journaled about the axis of said reel having a pawl engagingsaid ratchet wheel, a flexible cable secured at one end to said reel andhaving its free end depending between said standards, a hook adapted toengage 75 a bumper part of an automobile secured to said free end ofsaid cable and means for preventing reverse rotation of said ratchetwheel.

3. A bumper jack for an automobile having in combination, a base memberadapted to be disposed horizontally on a supporting surface, spacedmembers projecting upwardly from said base member, a U-shaped framehaving parallel sides, telescoping over said last mentioned members andextending vertically therefrom, a shaft extending through and betweensaid sides, a reel journaled on said shaft, a ratchet wheel secured tosaid reel, a lever journaled on said shaft, a pawl carried by said leverengaging said ratchet Wheel for rotating the same by the oscillation ofSaid lever, a stop pawl pivoted to said frame for preventing reverserotation 4of said ratchet wheel, a flexible cable secured at one end tosaid reel and adapted to be wound thereon having its free end depending.between said sides and closely adjacent the plane thereof, a hooksecured to said free end adapted to engage a bumper part whereby saidbasey member may be placed beneath said bumper and said U-shaped framemoved downwardly with its sides straddling said bumper part and engagedwith said bumper and said lever oscillated to wind said cable on saidreel and lift said bumper part, said cable then extending vertically ina line closely adjacent the center of Said base.

4. A bumper jack for an automobile having in combination, a framecomprising a base and an upwardly extending standard of smallcross-sectional area, the upper part of said frame being separable fromand telescoping over the lower part thereof and having spaced verticallyextending portions, a reel axle extending between said portions, a reelmounted on and revoluble about the axis of. said axle, a ratchet wheelsecured to one end of said reel, a lever journaled about said axle andhaving a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, a flexible cable secured atone end to said reel and having a free end depending closely adjacentthe plane of said standard, a hook adapted to engage a bumper partsecured to said free end and a stop pawl pivoted to said frame extendingacross said ratchet wheel and across the plane of said lever wherebysaid lever may be swung upwardly to engage said stop pawl and move thesame out of engagement with said ratchet wheel.

FRANK L. CURRAN.

